Resistive cell structure for reducing soft error rate
A memory cell for reducing soft error rate and the method for forming same are disclosed. The memory cell comprises a first bit line signal (BL), a second bit line signal complementary to the first bit line signal (BLB), a first pass gate coupled to the BL, a second pass gate coupled to the BLB, a first inverter whose output node receives the BL through the first pass gate, a second inverter whose output node receives the BLB through the second pass gate, a first instrument coupled between the output node of the first inverter and an input node of the second inverter, and a second instrument coupled between the output node of the second inverter and an input node of the first inverter, wherein the first and second instruments increase voltage discharge time of the memory cell when voltages at the output nodes of the inverters accidentally discharge.
This is a continuation-in-part of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/842,379 to Jhon Jhy Liaw, filed May 10, 2004, titled “Resistive Cell Structure for Reducing Soft Error Rate,” and is a continuation-in-part of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/287,449 to Jhon Jhy Liaw, filed Nov. 22, 2005, titled “SRAM Cell Design with High Resistor CMOS Gate Structure for Soft Error Rate Improvement,” which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/460,983 to Jhon Jhy Liaw, filed Jun. 13, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,992,916, titled “SRAM Cell Design with High Resistor CMOS Gate Structure for Soft Error Rate Improvement” the contents of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
BACKGROUNDThis invention relates generally to semiconductor memories, and more particularly, to the improvement of soft error rate through the addition of high resistor cell structures.
Semiconductor memories are composed of large arrays of individual cells. Each cell stores a 1 or 0 bit of data as an electrical high or low voltage state. At least 8 bits may compose a byte of data. At least 16 bits may compose a word. In each memory operation cycle, at least one byte is typically written into or read from the array. Cells are arranged at the crossings of vertical data, or bit lines, and horizontal word lines, which enable reading or writing. A read or write cycle occurs when a word line, as well as a pair of bit lines, are activated. The cell accessed at the intersection of the word lines and the bit lines will either receive written data from the bit lines, or will deliver written data to the bit lines. Cells can typically be accessed in random order.
A cell is composed of an electronic circuit, typically involving transistors. A Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell is most typically composed of a plurality of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors (MOSFETs). The most common type of SRAM is composed of six-transistor (6T) cells, each of which includes two P-type MOSFETs (PMOSFETs) and four N-type MOSFETs (NMOSFETs). A cell is arranged with two inverters that are accessed from two complementary bit lines through two access transistors that are controlled by a word line. This structure has low power consumption and good immunity to electronic noise on bit or word lines or to charges introduced by alpha particles.
However, as more technologies that utilize semiconductor memories require a smaller footprint and a higher mobility, space saving in semiconductor memory designs becomes increasingly important. In particular, in order to continually achieve size and performance advantages, cell geometries must continually shrink. However, as cell geometries shrink, one problem arises. Each of the two inverter storage nodes in an SRAM cell is composed of the capacitances of the gates of the two transistors of that inverter. As geometries shrink, the storage capacitances also shrink. The charge, which is stored as data, is now so small that electrical noise on either of the bit lines or the word lines, or charges introduced by the arrival of an alpha particle, can be significant in comparison. The frequency of error caused by this electrical noise, which may be in the form of alpha particles, is known as soft error rate. As soft error rate increases, the risk of losing data integrity increases. Noise immunity, therefore, is an area in semiconductor memory designs that merits increasing concern.
Desirable in the art of semiconductor memory designs are additional designs that increases noise immunity, thereby reducing soft error rate.
SUMMARYIn view of the foregoing, this invention provides a design and method to increase noise immunity, thereby reducing soft error rate.
A memory cell for reducing soft error rate and the method for forming the same are disclosed. The memory cell comprises a first bit line signal (BL), a second bit line signal complementary to the first bit line signal (BLB), a first pass gate coupled to the BL, a second pass gate coupled to the BLB, a first inverter whose output node receives the BL through the first pass gate, a second inverter whose output node receives the BLB through the second pass gate, a first instrument coupled between the output node of the first inverter and an input node of the second inverter, and a second instrument coupled between the output node of the second inverter and an input node of the first inverter, wherein the first and second instruments increase voltage discharge time of the memory cell when voltages at the output nodes of the inverters accidentally discharge.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 7 to 9 illustrate three resistor-forming process variations in accordance with three embodiments of the present invention.
DESCRIPTIONThis invention provides a design for reducing soft error rate with the addition of two resistors to a standard SRAM cell, thereby increasing noise immunity and data integrity. In several embodiments shown below, a standard SRAM cell is modified to include resistors, the addition of which introduces a resistor/capacitor (RC) delay time for the change of stored data. Since the two inverters in the standard SRAM cell are cross-coupled, the return influence is also delayed. The delay time may allow the affected inverter to heal itself and retain its original data, thereby reducing the frequency and probability of error due to alpha particle noise. Soft error rate is therefore also reduced, and greater data integrity is assured.
Similarly,
The concern for data integrity may be addressed by slowing down the response of the memory cell to a change in the charge that is stored on only one of the two storage nodes. If the charge that is stored on both storage nodes changes, the change has most likely been caused by data writing from the bit lines. This is because the bit line pairs that write to the two nodes are always oppositely biased. Therefore, a change in only one of the two nodes is most likely not appropriate data and should be avoided. The introduction of resistors between a given storage node of an inverter and the two gates of the opposite inverter introduces a resistor/capacitor (RC) delay time in the change of stored data. Since the two inverters are cross-coupled, the return influence is also delayed. The delay time allows the affected inverter to heal itself and retain its original data.
Now referring to
τ=R*C.
C is constant and is determined by the gate oxide thickness and gate structure. The discharge time changes with a change in the value of the gate resistance. In an embodiment, the sheet resistance of P+ poly with silicide is 3 to 50 ohm/sq, P+ poly without silicide is 100 to 2,000 ohm/sq, and P-type LDD without silicide is 5,000 to 100,000 ohm/sq. In one embodiment, in a time period equivalent to five times the time constant, the signal delivered in response to a step function may exceed 99% of the amplitude of the step function. The voltage follows the curve:
V=Vstep exp(−t/τ)
Vstep is the step-wise change in voltage. In other words,
−τ*log(V/Vstep)=t.
If the charge stored in the capacitance of the gates of one inverter is suddenly changed, it then takes time to deliver that influence to the node of the opposite inverter through the delay of the RC circuit. That delay allows time for the SRAM to re-stabilize itself from the previous set of voltages.
The above invention describes many different embodiments or embodiments for implementing different features of the invention. Specific embodiments of components and processes are described to help clarify the invention. These are, of course, merely embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention from that described in the claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a design and method for reducing soft error rate of memory cells, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A memory cell for reducing soft error rate comprising:
- a first bit line signal (BL);
- a second bit line signal complementary to the first bit line signal (BLB);
- a first pass gate coupled to the BL;
- a second pass gate coupled to the BLB;
- a first inverter whose output node receives the BL through the first pass gate;
- a second inverter whose output node receives the BLB through the second pass gate;
- a first instrument coupled between the output node of the first inverter and an input node of the second inverter; and
- a second instrument coupled between the output node of the second inverter and an input node of the first inverter;
- wherein the first and second instruments increase voltage discharge time of the memory cell when voltages at the output nodes of the inverters accidentally discharge; and
- wherein the first and second instruments are located adjacent to respective PMOS portions of said first and second inverters, said PMOS portion of said first inverter being located between the first instrument and an NMOS portion of said first inverter, said PMOS portion of said second inverter being located between the second instrument and an NMOS portion of said second inverter, said first and second instruments operable for providing a resistor capacitor delay time for reducing soft error rate.
2. The cell of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second instruments includes one or more high resistance instruments.
3. The cell of claim 2, wherein the first instrument is formed by a portion of the gate region of the second inverter that is not metalized and the second instrument is formed by a portion of a gate region of the first inverter that is not metalized.
4. The cell of claim 3, wherein a resistance of the first or second instrument is determined by an impurity concentration in the portion of the gate region that is not metalized.
5. The cell of claim 3, wherein the first or second instrument further includes lightly doped drain (LDD) implant materials.
6. The cell of claim 5, wherein the first or second instrument further includes source/drain implant materials.
7. The cell of claim 1, wherein the gates of each inverter are connected by a metalized portion of a shared gate material thereof.
8. The cell of claim 1, wherein the first and second instruments are formed over an isolation region of the corresponding inverter whose gates are coupled thereto.
9. A pair of CMOS inverters for a split word line static random access memory cell for reducing soft error rate comprising:
- a substrate layer;
- source and drain regions formed in the substrate layer for a first PMOS transistor;
- source and drain regions formed in the substrate layer for a first NMOS transistor;
- source and drain regions formed in the substrate layer for a second PMOS transistor;
- source and drain regions formed in the substrate layer for a second NMOS transistor;
- a first gate dielectric layer shared by the first PMOS and NMOS transistors;
- a second gate dielectric layer shared by the second PMOS and NMOS transistors;
- a first gate shared by the first PMOS and NMOS transistors, and
- a second gate shared by the second PMOS and NMOS transistors;
- wherein a portion of the first gate is metalized to connect gates of the first PMOS and NMOS transistors and is coupled to a first data storage node of the memory cell though a first resistance instrument;
- wherein a portion of the second gate is metalized to connect gates of the second PMOS and NMOS transistors and is coupled to a second data storage node of the memory_cell though a second resistance instrument;
- wherein the first and second resistance instruments function to increase a voltage discharge time when a voltage at the associated data storage node accidentally discharges through the associated inverter; and
- wherein the first and second resistance instruments are located adjacent to the first and second PMOS transistors, respectively, the first PMOS transistor being located between the first resistive instrument and the first NMOS transistor, and the second PMOS transistor being located between the second resistive instrument and the second NMOS transistor, the first and second resistance instruments operable to provide a resistor capacitor delay time for reducing soft error rate.
10. The pair of CMOS inverters of claim 9, wherein the first or second resistance instrument is formed by a remaining portion of the gate that is not metalized.
11. The pair of CMOS inverters of claim 10, wherein a resistance of the first or second resistance instrument is determined by an impurity concentration contained therein.
12. The pair of CMOS inverters of claim 10, wherein the first or second resistance instrument further includes lightly doped drain (LDD) implant material.
13. The pair of CMOS inverters of claim 10, wherein the first or second resistance instrument further includes source/drain implant materials.
14. The pair of CMOS inverters of claim 10, wherein the first or second resistance instrument is formed over an isolation region of the associated inverter.
15. A memory cell for reducing soft error rate comprising:
- a first bit line (BL) coupled to a first pass gate;
- a second bit line complementary to the first bit line (BLB) and coupled to a second pass gate;
- first and second inverters, the first inverter having an output node for connecting to the BL through the first pass gate and the second inverter having an output node for connecting to the BLB through the second pass gate;
- first and second resistive elements, the first resistive element coupled between the output node of the first inverter and an input node of the second inverter, and the second resistive element coupled between the output node of the second inverter and an input node of the first inverter;
- wherein the first and second resistive elements increase a voltage discharge time of the memory cell when voltages at the output nodes of the first and second inverters accidentally discharge; and
- wherein the first and second resistive elements are located adjacent to respective PMOS portions of the first and second inverters, the PMOS portion of the first inverter being located between the first resistive element and an NMOS portion of said first inverter, said PMOS portion of said second inverter being located between the second resistive element and an NMOS portion of the second inverter, the first and second instruments operable for providing a resistor capacitor delay time for reducing a soft error rate.
16. The memory cell of claim 15, wherein the first resistive element is formed by a portion of the gate region of the second inverter that is not metalized and the second resistive element is formed by a portion of a gate region of the first inverter that is not metalized.
17. The memory cell of claim 16, wherein a resistance of the first or second resistive element is determined by an impurity concentration in the portion of the gate region that is not metalized.
18. The memory cell of claim 16, wherein the first or second resistive element further includes lightly doped drain (LDD) implant materials.
19. The memory cell of claim 15, wherein the gates of each inverter are connected by a metalized portion of a shared gate material thereof.
20. The memory cell of claim 15, wherein the first and second resistive elements are formed over an isolation region of the corresponding inverter whose gates are coupled thereto.
International Classification: G11C 11/00 (20060101);